Saturday, July 2, 2011

Retreat thoughts from Claudia and John

1. Purpose of retreat:
     Define vision/mission 
     Draw on both sides of everybody's experience -- excitements and hesitations
     Ritual beginnings -- Lhasang?  Others?
2. Develop threads, ID next steps & roles:
     People (planners = residents + advisers)
     Legal structure, governance (nonprofit? LLC?)
     Livelihood and finances
     Physical space (Western mass?  NY side of MA border? Appropriate existing building wherever we find it?)
     Spiritual orientation, relationship to Buddhism, Buddhist organizations? 
     Expectations of each other (residents, nonresidents)
3. Make an object to capture it all - posterboard, pins, index cards, what else?
     Use what we know to create structure, what we don't to create space for creative exploration
4. Recognize and rejoice in the small community we have formed!
     Cook, eat, play music, laugh

1 comment:

  1. Sorry the notes are so telegraphic! A fuller version would include:

    1. We loved E&J's idea of making art and bought posterboard, pins, cards to add

    2. Wonderful idea about bringing shrine materials. We just found the coolest red tail hawk feather. Other stuff? Gong, water holders, candle/lamp, incense, food, art, gifts from nature?

    3. We're thinking we'd like to bring foodstuffs, maybe make a whole foods run on the way up? suggestions?

    4. Morning chants at 6am. (Not!)

    :-)

    C&J

    C

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